County horses boast good odds for Preakness glory

Preakness States favorite Orb, left, tries to find a peppermint in Alison McGaughey's pants Friday morning at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD. The 138th running of the Preakness Stakes will be held Saturday May 18th at the race course, the second leg of the Triple Crown races.

Last Modified: Friday, May 17, 2013 at 6:05 p.m.

Facts

But when the nine Preakness horses enter their starting gates today, seven will have once called Marion County home, including the Kentucky Derby-winning favorite, Orb, and the second highest morning-line ranking horse Mylute. In horse racing, those are pretty good odds.

As horse racing fans and media converge at Pimlico Race Course, most are falling into the Orb orbit.

* Niall Brennan broke and gave early training to Orb. He thinks Orb is the horse to beat after his Louisville victory by 2½ lengths.

At even money morning-line odds, Orb will do best to again settle well behind the pace setters, but not as far back as he was in the Kentucky Derby, near last, Brennan said.

"What's most important is a clear run," Brennan said of the long-striding colt.

Early this week Orb turned in an eye-popping, half-mile workout in 47.18 seconds at Belmont Park in New York.

Brennan doesn't think the workout was too much so soon after the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

"He did it on his own, He did it effortlessly," Brennan said.

Orb will be starting from the one post against the rail, and will have to avoid getting boxed in.

For Orb, there could be other potential problems.

Although April 20 Illinois Derby winner Departing skipped the Derby, some believe he has the best chance of beating Orb on Saturday.

But not Brennan.

"There's always reason for concern," Brennan admitted. "But is he good enough ... to beat Orb? I don't think so ... but we'll see Saturday."

* But as good as Orb has been, Todd Quast is not ready to concede the race to him either.

Quast is manager of GoldMark farm in Ocala. The farm is part owner of Mylute, who finished a respectable fifth in the Kentucky Derby, four lengths behind Orb.

His best recent race was second in the March 30 Louisiana Derby, losing by a neck.

Best for Mylute Saturday would be a fast pace during which he could settle in eight or nine lengths from the lead and wait for the pace-setters to tire, Quast said.

If the pace is slower, "then it will be a tougher finish," Quast said.

Mylute will start from the five post at 5-1 morning line odds.

* Goldencents was sold at Ocala Breeders' Sales Company auction through Greg and Karen Dodd last year.

Coming into the Kentucky Derby after winning the Santa Anita Derby the month before, Goldencents was one of the favorites in Louisville, but ended up being one of the biggest disappointments when he settled in the rear and never left there.

"He was right there in the thick of it ... but he was not liking all that kick back," Karen Dodd said of the trip on the rain-soaked track at Churchill Downs.

At 8-1 morning-line odds and out of the two post, Goldencents would do well to settle in third or fourth behind the pacesetter, Dodd said.

"The one thing is we didn't close our eyes and say we'll do the same thing we did in the Derby," he said of his horse's training leading up to the Preakness. "But when they throw in a head scratcher ... no matter how confident you are ... it makes it more difficult."

* Also back after a sixth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby is Oxbow. He will start from the six post at 15-1 morning-line odds.

Broken at Stonestreet Training and Rehabilitation Center by Ian Brennan, younger brother of Niall Brennan, Oxbow had a rough Kentucky Derby trip, getting bumped and running near the rail.

"The Preakness is the kind of race that will suit him (better)," Brennan said. "He's not a really big horse. I don't think he was strong enough for the 1¼ (mile Kentucky Derby)."

Second in the March 16 Rebel Stakes, "Oxbow likes to be up there (about three or four lengths off the pace) and have a clean run," Brennan said.

* Itsmyluckyday, broken and trained at Eisaman Equine, is also returning from a disappointing 15th place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Shari Eisaman said the colt by Lawyer Ron shouldn't be discounted because of his Derby performance.

"It's another day. It's another track and it's another rider," she said. "The horse is doing amazing. I know this horse has enough pedigree and turn of foot to get the job done,"

As to why he never fired in the Kentucky Derby, "who knows?" she said.

Eisaman said Itsmyluckyday is fast enough to do well from any position.

Starting from the nine post at 10-1 odds, Itsmyluckyday is in part owned by Marion Hills Farm in Marion County.

* Trainer Bob Baffert kept Govenor Charlie out of the Kentucky Derby, saying he was not ready for the long 1¼ mile race.

Winner of the March 24 Sunland Derby in New Mexico, Govenor Charlie has only three races to his career and never raced as a two-year-old.

The Midnight Lute colt was also broken by Eisaman Equine in Marion County.

Shari Eisaman said she sees Govenor Charlie's career shortcomings but puts her faith on Baffert, who has won three Kentucky Derby races and five Preakness Stakes.

"I would like to see him in the one or two (spot)," she said. "And I wouldn't be surprised if Baffert wins it."

* The 30-1 morning-line longshot, and also new to the Triple Crown races, is Titletown Five. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, he hasn't won a race since his maiden last year.

He was broken at Woodside Ranch in Ft. McCoy by Bryan and Holley Rice.

"We'd like to see him placed fourth, fifth or sixth, and if he can find a way through traffic and get in the clear he will have a good opportunity," Bryan Rice said. "We'd like to see an honest pace but not a blistering pace."

As for maybe being overmatched, Rice said, "We feel this distance suits him and feel he has good quality."

The couple are hoping for one more ingredient Saturday: "We may need a little luck," Rice said.

The two remaining horses with no apparent Marion County ties are the gelding Departing. He will start from the four post. Will Take Charge, winner of the Rebel Stakes, and eighth in the Kentucky Derby, will start from the seven post at 12-1 morning-line odds.

<p>BALTIMORE — There are no sure things in horse racing.</p><p>But when the nine Preakness horses enter their starting gates today, seven will have once called Marion County home, including the Kentucky Derby-winning favorite, Orb, and the second highest morning-line ranking horse Mylute. In horse racing, those are pretty good odds.</p><p>As horse racing fans and media converge at Pimlico Race Course, most are falling into the Orb orbit.</p><p>* Niall Brennan broke and gave early training to Orb. He thinks Orb is the horse to beat after his Louisville victory by 2½ lengths.</p><p>At even money morning-line odds, Orb will do best to again settle well behind the pace setters, but not as far back as he was in the Kentucky Derby, near last, Brennan said.</p><p>"What's most important is a clear run," Brennan said of the long-striding colt.</p><p>Early this week Orb turned in an eye-popping, half-mile workout in 47.18 seconds at Belmont Park in New York.</p><p>Brennan doesn't think the workout was too much so soon after the May 4 Kentucky Derby.</p><p>"He did it on his own, He did it effortlessly," Brennan said.</p><p>Orb will be starting from the one post against the rail, and will have to avoid getting boxed in.</p><p>For Orb, there could be other potential problems.</p><p>Although April 20 Illinois Derby winner Departing skipped the Derby, some believe he has the best chance of beating Orb on Saturday.</p><p>But not Brennan.</p><p>"There's always reason for concern," Brennan admitted. "But is he good enough ... to beat Orb? I don't think so ... but we'll see Saturday."</p><p>* But as good as Orb has been, Todd Quast is not ready to concede the race to him either.</p><p>Quast is manager of GoldMark farm in Ocala. The farm is part owner of Mylute, who finished a respectable fifth in the Kentucky Derby, four lengths behind Orb.</p><p>His best recent race was second in the March 30 Louisiana Derby, losing by a neck.</p><p>Best for Mylute Saturday would be a fast pace during which he could settle in eight or nine lengths from the lead and wait for the pace-setters to tire, Quast said.</p><p>If the pace is slower, "then it will be a tougher finish," Quast said.</p><p>Mylute will start from the five post at 5-1 morning line odds.</p><p>* Goldencents was sold at Ocala Breeders' Sales Company auction through Greg and Karen Dodd last year.</p><p>Coming into the Kentucky Derby after winning the Santa Anita Derby the month before, Goldencents was one of the favorites in Louisville, but ended up being one of the biggest disappointments when he settled in the rear and never left there.</p><p>"He was right there in the thick of it ... but he was not liking all that kick back," Karen Dodd said of the trip on the rain-soaked track at Churchill Downs.</p><p>At 8-1 morning-line odds and out of the two post, Goldencents would do well to settle in third or fourth behind the pacesetter, Dodd said.</p><p>Trainer Dough O'Neill blamed his horse's poor Kentucky Derby performance on the mud and frenzied early pace.</p><p>"Everything got turned around," O'Neill said Friday.</p><p>"The one thing is we didn't close our eyes and say we'll do the same thing we did in the Derby," he said of his horse's training leading up to the Preakness. "But when they throw in a head scratcher ... no matter how confident you are ... it makes it more difficult."</p><p>* Also back after a sixth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby is Oxbow. He will start from the six post at 15-1 morning-line odds.</p><p>Broken at Stonestreet Training and Rehabilitation Center by Ian Brennan, younger brother of Niall Brennan, Oxbow had a rough Kentucky Derby trip, getting bumped and running near the rail.</p><p>"The Preakness is the kind of race that will suit him (better)," Brennan said. "He's not a really big horse. I don't think he was strong enough for the 1¼ (mile Kentucky Derby)."</p><p>Second in the March 16 Rebel Stakes, "Oxbow likes to be up there (about three or four lengths off the pace) and have a clean run," Brennan said.</p><p>* Itsmyluckyday, broken and trained at Eisaman Equine, is also returning from a disappointing 15th place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Shari Eisaman said the colt by Lawyer Ron shouldn't be discounted because of his Derby performance.</p><p>"It's another day. It's another track and it's another rider," she said. "The horse is doing amazing. I know this horse has enough pedigree and turn of foot to get the job done,"</p><p>As to why he never fired in the Kentucky Derby, "who knows?" she said.</p><p>Eisaman said Itsmyluckyday is fast enough to do well from any position.</p><p>Starting from the nine post at 10-1 odds, Itsmyluckyday is in part owned by Marion Hills Farm in Marion County.</p><p>* Trainer Bob Baffert kept Govenor Charlie out of the Kentucky Derby, saying he was not ready for the long 1¼ mile race.</p><p>Winner of the March 24 Sunland Derby in New Mexico, Govenor Charlie has only three races to his career and never raced as a two-year-old.</p><p>The Midnight Lute colt was also broken by Eisaman Equine in Marion County.</p><p>Shari Eisaman said she sees Govenor Charlie's career shortcomings but puts her faith on Baffert, who has won three Kentucky Derby races and five Preakness Stakes.</p><p>"You really have to bet your shirt on Bob Baffert ... he knows what he's doing," Eisaman said.</p><p>He will be racing from the eight post at 12-1 morning-line odds.</p><p>"I would like to see him in the one or two (spot)," she said. "And I wouldn't be surprised if Baffert wins it."</p><p>* The 30-1 morning-line longshot, and also new to the Triple Crown races, is Titletown Five. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, he hasn't won a race since his maiden last year.</p><p>He was broken at Woodside Ranch in Ft. McCoy by Bryan and Holley Rice.</p><p>"We'd like to see him placed fourth, fifth or sixth, and if he can find a way through traffic and get in the clear he will have a good opportunity," Bryan Rice said. "We'd like to see an honest pace but not a blistering pace."</p><p>As for maybe being overmatched, Rice said, "We feel this distance suits him and feel he has good quality."</p><p>The couple are hoping for one more ingredient Saturday: "We may need a little luck," Rice said.</p><p>The two remaining horses with no apparent Marion County ties are the gelding Departing. He will start from the four post. Will Take Charge, winner of the Rebel Stakes, and eighth in the Kentucky Derby, will start from the seven post at 12-1 morning-line odds.</p><p><i>Contact Fred Hiers at 867-4157 or fred.hiers@starbanner.com.</i></p>